THOUSANDS of schools are expected to face disruption today as teachers stage a fresh wave of strikes in an ongoing row over pay, pensions and working conditions.

No teacher has any wish to inconvenience parents or disrupt pupils' education

Chris Keates

Pupils in four regions of England - the North East and Cumbria, the South West, South East and London - will be affected, as members of two of England's biggest teaching unions take part in the second day of walkouts this term.

The industrial action has been organised by the National Union of Teachers and the NASUWT.

The Government has condemned the move, saying it is "disappointed" that the unions have decided to strike.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said that the "overwhelming majority" of teachers in each of these areas would be on strike.

"No teacher has any wish to inconvenience parents or disrupt pupils' education, but this action is not the failure or due to the unreasonableness of teachers," she said.

"It is the failure and unreasonableness of the Secretary of State, who day-in-day-out is disrupting the education of children and young people through his attacks on the teaching profession."

A Department for Education spokeswoman said: "It is disappointing that the NUT and NASUWT are striking over the Government's measures to allow heads to pay good teachers more.

"In a recent poll, 61 per cent of respondents supported linking teachers' pay to performance and 70 per cent either opposed the strikes or believed that teachers should not be allowed to strike at all.

"All strikes will do is disrupt parents' lives, hold back children's education and damage the reputation of the profession."

The unions have said that the dispute focuses on three key issues - pay, pensions and conditions.

The Government has condemned the move [JAMES BOARDMAN]

They are opposed to Government plans to allow schools to set teachers' salaries, linked to performance in the classroom, and argue that pensions changes will leave their members working longer, paying in more and receiving less when they retire.

They also accuse the Government of attacking their working conditions, including introducing reforms that will allow schools to have longer school days and longer terms.

The first regional walkout took place in the North West on June 27, and further strikes took place in East of England, the East Midlands, West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humberside on October 1.

Plans for a national one-day walkout before Christmas have also been announced by the two unions.

Research published earlier this month revealed that the UK public think teachers should be paid around 15 per cent more than their current salaries, while almost three-quarters were in favour of performance-related pay for teachers.

The findings, part of the Varkey GEMS Foundation Global Teacher Status Index, also revealed that the UK was split over the influence unions should have in teachers' pay and conditions.

More than 40 per cent said they had too little influence, and just under 30 per cent said they had too much.